Bins



United States Patent= 2,914,802; BINS James E. Joyce, Kansas City, Mo.

(41 Spriugview Drive, Battle Creek, Mich.) f

Filed Sept. 14, 1959, Ser. No. 839,685

9 Claims- (01. 211-126) rality of individually different parts.

2,974,808 F F if"? 4: 95

invention should become apparent from an examination of the drawing and accompanying description.

In the drawing and accompanying description a preferred embodiment of the present invention isshown and described butlit is to be understood that the drawing-and accompanying description are for the purpose-of illustra- In many assembling operations it is essentially to have a supply of each of the variousasseniblable parts within easy reach of the assembler. The various parts must be kept readily available, and yet they should be kept sep; arate from each other. As a result, it would be desirable to have a bin or bins that could be set within easy reach of the assembler and that would keep the individually different parts readily available while keeping those parts separate from each other. The present invention provides such a bin; and it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a bin that can be set within easy reach of an assembler and that can keep the individually different parts readily available while keeping those parts separate from each other, 4

In some instances, the horizontal area that is available for the storage of the assemblable parts is quite limited; and it would, therefore, be desirable to have a bin that could be stacked in vertical array with other similar bins. Such a bin would coact'with the other bins to provide the total storage area that is needed and yet would fit within the limited horizontal area that is available. The

present invention provides such a bini and it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a bin that can be stacked in vertical array with other similar bins.

In some instances thebins can be solidly fixed in position adjacent the areawhere the assembling operation is performed, but in other instances the bins must be arranged so they can be shifted about relative to that area. As a result, it would be desirable to have a bin that is self-supporting and that can be stacked with other similar bins to provide a selfsupporting stack of bins. The

present invention provides such a; bin; and it is therefore an object of the presentlinvention to provide a bin that is self-supporting and that bestacked with other similar bins to provide a self-supporting stack ofbins.

The sizes of the various parts which are to be assembled in the assembling operation are not always the same; ,and henceitwould .be desirable to have a bin that can be 'made to accommodate parts of difierent size. The present invention provides such a bin by equipping that bin with a plurality. of removable partitions. Where the parts to be, assemblediarequite sin-all, all of the partitions will be set inposition within the bin, and each pair of partitions will define a compartment in which all'of the of one type and size can be kept. However, where one or more of the parts islargen on'e or more of the partitions .will be removed to define a larger compartm n or larger compartments. Itjsftherefo'reanobject of the. present invention'to prov ie a bin'which a pluialityof relic YT.- able par'titionsl' in 15-! as.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the bin of Fig. 1 as it appears when assembled with another similar bin and with a supporting base, I

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a part of the bins shown in Fig. l,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view on a smaller scale, of one of the removable partitions for the bin of Fig.1, and Fig. 6 is a plan view of a part of a modified bin.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the numeral. 10 generally denotes a bin that is made in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention. That bin has a flat, horizontally-directed bottom 12, an up;- wardly and forwardly inclined front wall 14, and a ventically-directed rear wall 16. While the bottom 12, the front wall 14 and the rear wall 16 could be made of sep arate pieces of metal that were suitably joined together,

it is preferable to make that bottom, that front wall and that rear wall out of one piece-of metal. a

The numeral 18 denotes the right-hand end wall of the bin, and that end wall is provided with an inturned flange 20 at the rear thereof and with an inturned flange 22 at the front thereof. The inturnedflange 20 and the end wall 18 subtend a right angle which has a vertically-directed apex; and the inturned flange 22 and the end wall 18 subtend a right angle which has its apex inclined forwardly and upwardly; The rear face of the inturned flange 20 will abut the right-hand portion of the front or inner face of the'rear wall 16, and the front face of .the inturned flange 22 will abut the right-hand portion of the rear or innerface of the front wall 14. The inturned flanges 20 and 22 will be suitably secured to 'the rear wall 16 and the front wall 14, respectively, as by spot welding or the like. The bottom of the end wall 18 will abut the upper face of the bottom 12.

The numeral 24 denotes the end wall for the left-hand end of the bin. .That end wall is provided with inturned flanges which are the mirror images of the inturned flanges 20 and 22 of the end wall 18. Those inturned flangeswill be suitably secured to theleft-hand portions of the front or inner face of the rear wall 16 and to the left-hand portionsof the rear of inner face of the front wall 14, as by spot welding or the like. The-bottom of the end Wall 24 will abut the upper face of the bottom 12.

The end walls .18 and 24 with their inturned flanges coact with the front Wall 14 and the rear wall 16 to provide stiffness and rigidity for the bin. Also, they close the ends of the bin and prevent the accidental 'escape of parts from that bin. I p Y A number of generally rectangular spacer plates 26 are fixedly secured torthe inner. face of the front wall 14 of the bin, as by spot welding or the like. Those spacer plates are spaced apart to form upwardly aud forwa'rdly inclined grooves 28 that define the, front edges of horizontally-"spaced, vertical planes. Spacer plates 30,' wh ichfar.'e identical in size "and spacing to the spacer plate's' 26,'are

a v 'fixe'dly secured to the front face ofthefrear wall 16,' a'sby ..a :e@e emi a f aa sarr wrea:

face of said front wall being in register with the upwardly-directed grooves at the inner face of said rear wall, a plurality of partitions tn at have front and rear edges that are dimensioned to fit within said upwardly and forwardly inclined grooves at said inner face of said front wall and within said upwardly-directed grooves at said inner face of said rear wall, respectively, said partitions and said end walls having similar trapezoidal configurations, said partitions having offsets in the front or rear edges thereof that require bending of said edges as said edges are set within said upwardly and forwardly inclined grooves at the inner face of said front wall or within said upwardly directed grooves at the inner face of said rear wall, respectively, said partitions and said end walls having the bottoms thereof immediately adjacent said bottom of said bin and having the tops thereof at the level of the top of said front wall of said bin, said partitions being selectively disposable within said upwardly and forwardly inclined grooves and said upwardly-directed grooves at the inner face of said front wall and at the inner face of said rear wall, respectively, or being selectively disposable in abutting engagement within said bin adjacent one of said end walls, a spacer that is secured to the rear face of said rear wall adjacent the lower edge of said rear wall, a vertically-directed plate that is secured to said spacer and that depends downwardly from said spacer, said spacer holding said plate parallel to but spaced rearwardly from said rear wall to define a slot, said slot being dimensioned to telescope over and snugly fit the upper edge of the rear wall of a similar bin and thereby holdsaid bins stacked in vertical array, and a base that has a generally flat horizontallydirected portion that can underlie and project forwardly beyond said bottom of said bin and that has a verticallydirected slot-engaging portion that can telescope into said slot.

2. A storage bin for parts that has a generally fiat, horizontally-directed bottom, an upstanding rear wall, an upstanding front wall, end walls closing the ends of said bin, a plurality of grooves at the inner face of said front wall, a plurality of grooves at the inner face of said rear wall, said grooves at the inner face of said front wall being in register with said grooves at the inner face "of said rear wall and coacting with said grooves at the inner face of said rear wall to define a plurality of horizontally-spaced, vertically-directed planes, a plurality of partitions that have front and rear edges that are dimensioned to fit within said grooves at said inner face of said front wall and within said grooves at said inner face of said rear wall, respectively, said partitions and said end walls having similar configurations, said partitions having offsets in the front or rear edges thereof that require bending of said edges as said edges are set within said grooves at the inner face of said front wall or within said grooves at the inner face of said rear Wall, respectively, said partitions being selectively disposable within said grooves at the inner face of said front wall and at the inner face of said rear wall, respectively.

3. A storage bin for parts that has a generally flat, horizontally-directed bottom, an upstanding rear wall, an upstanding front wall, end walls closing the ends of said bin, the outer face of said front wall defining an acute angle with the horizontal, a plurality of grooves at the inner face of said front wall, a plurality of grooves at the inner face of said rear wall, said grooves at the inner face of said front wall being in register with said grooves at the inner'face of said rear wall and coacting with said grooves at the inner face of said rear wall to define a plurality of horizontally-spaced, vertically-directed planes, a plurality of partitions that have front and rear edges that are dimensioned to fit within said grooves at said inner'face of said front wall and within said grooves at said inner face of said rear wall, respectively, said partitions and said end walls having similar configurations, said partitions being selectively disposable within said grooves at the inner face of said front wall and at the inner face of said rear wall, respectively or being selectively disposable in abutting engagement within said bin adjacent one of said end walls.

4. A storage bin for small parts that can be used by itself or that can be stacked with similar bins in vertical array and that has a generally flat, horizontally-directed bottom, a vertically-directed rear wall, a forwardly and upwardly inclined front wall, end wallsclosing the ends of said bin, said rear wall projecting upwardly above the level of said front wall whereby the top of said rear wall is disposed above the level of the top of said front wall, said front wall having a plurality of upwardly and forwardly inclined grooves at the inner face thereof, said rear wall having a plurality of upwardly-directed grooves at the inner face thereof, said upwardly and forwardly inclined grooves at the inner face of said front wall being in register with the upwardly-directed grooves at the inner face of said rear wall and coacting with said upwardly-directed grooves at the inner face of said rear wall to define a plurality of horizontally-spaced, verticallydirected planes, a plurality of partitions that have front and rear edges that are dimensioned to fit within said upwardly and forwardly inclined grooves at said inner face of said front wall and within said upwardly-directed grooves at said inner face of said rear Wall, respectively, said partitions and said end walls having similar trapezoidal configurations, a spacer that is secured to the rear face of said rear wall adjacent the lower edge of said rear wall, a vertically-directed plate that is secured to said spacer and that depends downwardly from said spacer,

- said spacer holding said plate parallel to but spaced rearwardly from said rear wall to define a slot, said slot being dimensioned to telescope over and snugly fit the upper edge of the rear wall of a similar bin and thereby hold said bins stacked in vertical array. I

5. A storage bin for small parts that can be used by itself 'or that can be stacked with similar bins in vertical array and that has a generally fiat, horizontally-directed bottom, a vertically-directed rear wall, a forwardly and upwardly inclined front wall, end walls closing the ends of said .bin, said front wall inclining upwardly from the horizontal at an angle in excess of forty degrees, said rear wall projecting upwardly above the level of said front wall whereby the top of said rear wall is disposed above the level of the top of said front wall, a plurality of upwardly and forwardly inclined grooves at the inner face of said front wall, a plurality of grooves at the inner face of said rear wall, a plurality of partitions that have front and rear edges that are dimensioned to fit within said upwardly and forwardly inclined grooves at said inner face of said front wall and within said upwardly-directed grooves at said inner face of said rear wall, respectively, a spacer that is secured to the rear face of said rear wall adjacent the lower edge of said rear wall, a vertically-directed plate that is secured to said spacer and that depends downwardly from said spacer, said spacer holding said plate parallel to but spaced rearwardly from said rear wall to define a slot, said slot being dimensioned to telescope over and snugly fit the upper edge of the rear wall of a similar bin and thereby hold said bins stacked in vertical array.

6. A storage bin for small parts that can be used by itself or that can be stacked with similar bins in vertical array and that has a generally flat, horizontally-directed bottom, a vertically-directed rear wall, a forwardly and upwardly inclined front wall, end walls closing the ends of said bin, said rear wall projecting ppwardly above the level of said front wall whereby the top of said rear wall is disposed above the level of the top of said front wall, a spacer that is secured to the rear face of said rear wall adjacent the lower-edge of said rear wall, a verticallydirected plate that is secured to said spacer and that depends downwardly from said spacer, said spacer holding said plate parallel to but spaced rearwardly from said rear wall to define a slot, said slot being dimensioned to esw s over and nu ly ii the up e dge of the e wa l o a sim ar b n and t e y h ld s i bins s ack d in vertical array, and a base that has a generally flathonigontally-directed portion that can underlie and project forwardly beyond said bottom of said similar bin and that has a vertically-directed slot-engaging portion that can telescope into the slot of said sirnilar bin, therear wall of said similar bin being dimensioned to space the end walls of said bin above the end walls of said similar bin and thereby provide access to said similar bin above said end Walls of said similar bin, said rear wall of said similar bin and said slot of said bin coacting to support said bin in cantilever fashion.

7. storage bin for small parts that can be used by itself or that can be stacked with similar bins in vertical array and that has a generally fiat, horizontally-directed bottom, a vertically-directed rear wall, a forwardly and upwardly inclined front wall, end walls closing the en'ds of said bin, said rear wall projecting upwardly above the level of said front wall whereby the top of said rear wall is disposed above the level of the top of said front Wall, and a vertically-directed plate that is fixed against movement relative to but that is spaced rearwardly from said rear wall to define a slot, said slot being dimensioned to telescope over and snugly fit the upper edge of the rear wall of a similar bin and thereby hold said bins stacked in vertical array, the rear wall of said similar bin being taller than the end walls of saidsimilar itself or that can be stacked with similar bins in vertical array and-that has a generally ,flat, horizontally-directed bottom, a vertically-directed rear wall, a forwardly and upwardly inclined front wall, end walls closing the ends of said bin, said front wall extending up to alevel approxirnating the level of the tops of said end walls, said rear wall projecting upwardly above the level of said front wall whereby the top of said rear wall is disposedabove'the level of the top of said front wall, a plurality of partitions thatsub-divide said bin into a number of compartments, a vertically-directed plate that is spaced from the rear face of said rear wall to define a slot, said slot being dimensioned to telescope over and snugly fit the upper edge of the rear Wall of a similar bin and thereby hold said bins stacked in vertical array, and a base that has a generally flat horizontally-directed portion that can underlie and project forwardly beyond said bottom of said similar, bin and that has a vertically-directed slot-engaging portionth'at can telescope into the slot of said similar bin, said rear wall of said similar bin and said slot of said bin coacting to provide cantilever support for said bin, said base holding said bin and said similar bin againsttilting.

itself or that can be stacked with similar bins in vetrical array and that has a generally flat, horizontally-directed bottom, a vertically-directed rear wall, a forwardly and upwardly inclined front wall, end Walls closing the ends of said bin, said front wall inclining upwardly from the horizontal at an angle in excess of forty degrees, said front wall extending up to a level approximately the level of the tops of said end walls, said rear Wall projecting upwardly above the level of said front Wall whereby the top of said rear wall is disposed above the level of the top of said front wall, a plurality of partitions that subdivide said bin 'into a number of compartments, the upper surface of said bottom of said bin being smooth and uninterrupted except for said partitions, and a vertically-directed plate that is adjacent the lower edge of said rear wall, said verticallydirected plate and said rear wall being spaced apart to define a slot, said slot being dimensioned to telescope over and snugly fit the upper edge of the rear wall of a similar Zbin and thereby hold bins stacked in spaced vertical array.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Bigelow July 14, 1,959

9. A storage bin for small parts that can be used by 

